In all of his travels Captain Jean-Luc Picard has never faced an opponent more powerful that Q, a being from another continuum that Picard encountered on his very first mission as Captain of the Starship Enterprise™. In the years since, Q has returned again and again to harass Picard and his crew. Sometimes dangerous, sometimes merely obnoxious, Q has always been mysteriouIn all of his travels Captain Jean-Luc Picard has never faced an opponent more powerful that Q, a being from another continuum that Picard encountered on his very first mission as Captain of the Starship Enterprise™. In the years since, Q has returned again and again to harass Picard and his crew. Sometimes dangerous, sometimes merely obnoxious, Q has always been mysterious and seemingly all-powerful.

But this time, when Q appears, he comes to Picard for help. Apparently another member of the Q continuum has tapped into an awesome power source that makes this being more powerful than the combined might of the entire Q continuum. This renegade Q is named Trelane -- also known as the Squire of Gothos, who Captain Kirk and his crew first encountered over one hundred years ago. Q explains that, armed with this incredible power, Trelane has become unspeakably dangerous.

Now Picard must get involved in an awesome struggle between super beings. And this time the stakes are not just Picard's ship, or the galaxy, or even the universe -- this time the stakes are all of creation...

This is one of the best Star Trek novels that I ever read. Peter David did again what he does best. Finding creative ways to link The Original Series with The Next Generation. On "Imzadi", (see review here: Imzadi ) David combines the Guardian of Forever from the classic episode "The City at the Edge of Forever" with the romantic relationship of William Riker and Deanna Troi. On "Vendetta", (see review here: Vendetta ), David merges The Doomsday Machine from the classic episode of the same nameThis is one of the best Star Trek novels that I ever read. Peter David did again what he does best. Finding creative ways to link The Original Series with The Next Generation. On "Imzadi", (see review here: Imzadi ) David combines the Guardian of Forever from the classic episode "The City at the Edge of Forever" with the romantic relationship of William Riker and Deanna Troi. On "Vendetta", (see review here: Vendetta ), David merges The Doomsday Machine from the classic episode of the same name with the menace of The Borg. Now, Peter David does it again fusioning the pompous Trelane from the classic episode "The Squire of Gothos" with the Q-Continuum. In that way, Peter David is able to attract fans of the Original Series to books of The Next Generation showing the kind of stories that they can enjoy while they can met the great universe of TNG. In my case, I am fan of both (in fact of all franchise) so, this is a dream come true. I always like the episode of "The Squire of Gothos" and I suppose that since my contact with Star Trek was first with TNG and movies, and then I was able to watch the classic episodes, maybe this helped to see a striking resemblance of the way how Trelane behaves and his powers with the Q-Continuum. I noticed even before that this novel would be published, so when I found out about this book, I knew that I have to read it. Indeed, it was a dream come true! And Peter David not only give us the delicious gift of seeing Trelane and Q together, not, this is merely the cherry of the ice cream, since he give us the most amazing and astonishing parallel worlds story making a three level ice cream. In here, Peter David shows his mastery to create one of the parallel worlds with those little details and/or inconsistencies here and there that fans knew and commented and bam! you have it a whole parallel universe combining those details even implementing creative inside jokes choosing names of certain characters. And this "Track A" isn't merely an "evil" universe, it's just an unnerving combination of wrong taken roads where you know that something very bad can happen at some moment. "Track B" is the TNG normal universe as you are familiar with. In "Track C" once again, Peter David shows his succesful choices of picking episodes but here of the TNG run using the setting of "Yesterday's Enterprise". At first, maybe you can feel a little disoriented but don't worry, quite fast you will get the knack of each parallel existence and to avoid unnecesary confussions, David marks quite well wich "track" are you reading. So, you have a masterful amazing TNG story with parallel universes, references to TOS and Q! What more do you need? Go read it! You'll enjoy it a lot! Highly recommended....more

This is arguably the great Star Trek Novel ever written. It takes place on a grand scale, covering several interesting timelines, then smashing them together.

The real test for novels like these are if the characters sounds like they should...quite often tie in novels will have characters saying things that they never would on the show, which can really pull me out of the book. Thankfully that isn't a problem here. Peter David has an excellent grasp of what makes each of these characters tick. ThThis is arguably the great Star Trek Novel ever written. It takes place on a grand scale, covering several interesting timelines, then smashing them together.

The real test for novels like these are if the characters sounds like they should...quite often tie in novels will have characters saying things that they never would on the show, which can really pull me out of the book. Thankfully that isn't a problem here. Peter David has an excellent grasp of what makes each of these characters tick. The many references to past Star Trek adventures just serve to sweeten the deal for Star Trek fans.

The Kindle edition is pretty good. I only noticed about a dozen typos, but none were so bad that I couldn't figure out what the actual intended word was. I don't have the paper version to compare it to, so this issue might just be the way the book is written, but within chapters, it can be difficult to spot the perspective changes. Rather than leaving an extra space between paragraphs to denote a chance in perspective/location, the next section just starts immediately after the previous sentence. Sometimes that seems intentional (a joke carries over between sections, characters seem to react to something someone else in another area said, etc.), but other times it just makes it confusing.

Overall I love this book. It was one of the first books I picked up for my kindle, because I wanted to re-read it (I had originally read it many years ago). The only real problem is that this is as good as it gets. It piques the appetite for more books like this, but no other Star Trek novel matches it. Peter David's other Star Trek novels are great (Vendetta, Imzadi, etc.), but this is his best. ...more

I am an avid ST:NG fan, of both the tv series and the novels. Most of the novels are pretty much episodic: there's a problem, the crew solves it, all is peaceful in the Federation once more. Once in a while, though, I stumble across a book of fantastic proportions. It's sort of like the author went beyond the idea of taking existing personalities and cobbling together an episode and printing it (which, honestly, is the reason I love the novels. They are more my light reading than romance books).I am an avid ST:NG fan, of both the tv series and the novels. Most of the novels are pretty much episodic: there's a problem, the crew solves it, all is peaceful in the Federation once more. Once in a while, though, I stumble across a book of fantastic proportions. It's sort of like the author went beyond the idea of taking existing personalities and cobbling together an episode and printing it (which, honestly, is the reason I love the novels. They are more my light reading than romance books). Peter David, however, is a master at the fantastic part. And he has written some amazing stuff abut my favorite Star Trek Captain and his most annoying yet boyishly charming omnipotent nemesis, Q. This book tops the cake. In fact, this is now my favorite Star Trek; The Next Generation novel of all time, beating out the Lost Years novel about Picard's life before captaining the Enterprise. I adore David's works, and this onew is supremely well thought-out and executed. It still reads like an episode-but the multiple time lines (which are not difficult to follow) and the many different aspects of each character in each of those timelines (I love Mrs Deanna Riker!) makes for an interesting story. And although this novel is twice the length of the usual ones, I could not put it dowqn-and I read it in one night. Q is so engagingly...HUMAN in this one, so filled with the emotions he despises so much. His protege Trelane (nod to TOS) is diabolical, a control-freak teenager with something to prove. We get to see Tasha Yar yet again, and there is even a moment or two where my favorite non-crew character in all of Trekdom appears: Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House of Betazed, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx...you get my drift. All in all it is a lively and engaging story that will keep you glued to your reading chair until long after your butt is numb and your soda has run out. I look forward to finding more books by this man!...more

On Stardate 2124.5, Captain Kirk and the Enterprise had a memorable experience with an impish creature named Trelane, a being of extraordinary power but the maturity of a child. Now Trelane is back, this time to play with Captain Picard and a different Enterprise....and right behind him is his godfather Q, begging him to behave. Trelane, as it turns out, is a member of the Q Continuum, and Q has the task of grooming him to be a responsible adult. Naturally, the universe is doomed. After a tongueOn Stardate 2124.5, Captain Kirk and the Enterprise had a memorable experience with an impish creature named Trelane, a being of extraordinary power but the maturity of a child. Now Trelane is back, this time to play with Captain Picard and a different Enterprise....and right behind him is his godfather Q, begging him to behave. Trelane, as it turns out, is a member of the Q Continuum, and Q has the task of grooming him to be a responsible adult. Naturally, the universe is doomed. After a tongue-lashing from the good captain, Trelane runs away and returns having discovered how to harness the power of universal chaos to give everyone on the Enterprise a really bad day....by collapsing three parallel universes into one another. Such is how Peter David starts off another fantastic Q novel.

In "Q-in-Law", the fun came from bouncing lively characters like Q and Lwaxana Troi off of one another. Here, David explores various what-if scenarios: what if Worf was rising star in the Klingon empire, and not a disgraced orphan? What if William Riker hadn't been rescued by Nervala IV, but captured by Romulans? What if Jack Crusher hadn't died? And what if Picard and Beverly Crusher had acted on their attraction...? When Trelane begins forcing the universes together, chaos ensues, and a thrilling story unfolds as the characters navigate their way though an increasingly insane and ever-changing reality.

Although a novel that touches base with metaphysical notions like multiverses can confusing, especially when temporal shenanigans are thrown in, Q Squared manages to grow busy with action without ever losing the reader, and it's wonderfully funny despite how serious things get. The action is frantic, and as Picard and the others lose control, astonished laughter is sometimes the only response to what they're enduring.

Q Squared is an excellent bit of Trek literature, supremely entertaining on its own merits and doubly so for knitting together various temporal elements of TOS and TNG together. I understand David did the same with his pre-Destiny TNG Relaunch novel, Q&A. If so, I might have to read it....even if it DOES have the Borg destroying Pluto. ...more

This is the first Star Trek novel I've read, and it didn't disappoint. Time travel, alternate realities, good writing. It was hard to keep everything straight at times, but that's part of what made it so fun. I'll probably read more of these at some point. I just don't know how the next one I read will be able to live up to precedent set here.

This is by far the best STAR TREK novel I've ever read (and I've read plenty!), but it also tops my list of Best All-Around Novels. David effortlessly weaves together an incredibly complex tapestry of timelines and characters from ST:TOS and ST:TNG. I laughed out loud. I came close to crying. It's just a brilliant executed book that deserves 25 stars, not 5. I just bought my first Peter David non-Trek novel, SIR APROPOS OF NOTHING, and can't wait to read it. Other excellent Trek novels by Mr. DaThis is by far the best STAR TREK novel I've ever read (and I've read plenty!), but it also tops my list of Best All-Around Novels. David effortlessly weaves together an incredibly complex tapestry of timelines and characters from ST:TOS and ST:TNG. I laughed out loud. I came close to crying. It's just a brilliant executed book that deserves 25 stars, not 5. I just bought my first Peter David non-Trek novel, SIR APROPOS OF NOTHING, and can't wait to read it. Other excellent Trek novels by Mr. David are IMZADI, Q-IN-LAW, and VENDETTA. He's like the Charles Dickens of STAR TREK. ...more

Trelane (of the TOS episode "Squire of Gothos"), who turns out to be a young member of the Q-Continuum, taps into the ultimate energy source and uses it-or is used by it-to tamper with the nature of reality and the flow of time. Q and the crews of the starship Enterprise from three parallel universes find themselves right in the thick of the action.

Three things seem apparent about this novel. First, author Peter David had fun writing it. It's clever, if a bit too convoluted at times, and has funTrelane (of the TOS episode "Squire of Gothos"), who turns out to be a young member of the Q-Continuum, taps into the ultimate energy source and uses it-or is used by it-to tamper with the nature of reality and the flow of time. Q and the crews of the starship Enterprise from three parallel universes find themselves right in the thick of the action.

Three things seem apparent about this novel. First, author Peter David had fun writing it. It's clever, if a bit too convoluted at times, and has fun making unexpected connections and arcane references to Trek history. He has a firm grip of the characters and writes their dialogue and interactions well. Second, he wrote it fast, much too fast. The prose is very sloppy, becoming at times unreadable. Third, this book is much too long. Most, if not all, of the sequences written from the perspectives of Q and Trelane should have been cut out. That would have improved the novel a great deal, because those scenes are truly awful.

Here's the problem: how can anyone, much less a guy dashing off a Star Trek novel, convincingly inhabit the perspective of an omnipotent, omniscient being? A masterful novelist might pull it off with great thought and effort, but Peter David isn't up to the task. That's not a knock against him, since almost nobody is up to that task, but he should have realized his limitations. He gives us beings who, rather than existing on a plane beyond our understanding, have mothers and fathers just like we do, act from very human motivations, and even derive their names from Latin root words! The TV series managed (just barely at times) to present the character successfully because it was always made clear that the version of Q and his universe that we saw was dumbed down to make human comprehension possible. David mistakes the dumbed down version for the real, unvarnished thing....more

It was okay. I remember why I stopped reading Star Trek books 20 years ago... and why I gave up on STTNG even longer. Got tired of all the extra-dimensional, time travel where no one remembered what happened, thus it doesn't impact the characters or the series. It had plenty of fun, adventurous parts, but... somehow it left me hollow.

Trelane (of the TOS episode "Squire of Gothos"), who turns out to be a young member of the Q-Continuum, taps into the ultimate energy source and uses it-or is used by it-to tamper with the nature of reality and the flow of time. Q and the crews of the starship Enterprise from three parallel universes find themselves right in the thick of the action.

Three things seem apparent about this novel. First, author Peter David had fun writing it. It's clever, if a bit too convoluted at times, and has funTrelane (of the TOS episode "Squire of Gothos"), who turns out to be a young member of the Q-Continuum, taps into the ultimate energy source and uses it-or is used by it-to tamper with the nature of reality and the flow of time. Q and the crews of the starship Enterprise from three parallel universes find themselves right in the thick of the action.

Three things seem apparent about this novel. First, author Peter David had fun writing it. It's clever, if a bit too convoluted at times, and has fun making unexpected connections and arcane references to Trek history. He has a firm grip of the characters and writes their dialogue and interactions well. Second, he wrote it fast, much too fast. The prose is very sloppy, becoming at times unreadable. Third, this book is much too long. Most, if not all, of the sequences written from the perspectives of Q and Trelane should have been cut out. That would have improved the novel a great deal, because those scenes are truly awful.

Here's the problem: how can anyone, much less a guy dashing off a Star Trek novel, convincingly inhabit the perspective of an omnipotent, omniscient being? A masterful novelist might pull it off with great thought and effort, but Peter David isn't up to the task. That's not a knock against him, since almost nobody is up to that task, but he should have realized his limitations. He gives us beings who, rather than existing on a plane beyond our understanding, have mothers and fathers just like we do, act from very human motivations, and even derive their names from Latin root words! The TV series managed (just barely at times) to present the character successfully because it was always made clear that the version of Q and his universe that we saw was dumbed down to make human comprehension possible. David mistakes the dumbed down version for the real, unvarnished thing. ...more

Published in 1994 by Simon & Schuster Audio DivisionRead by John de LancieDuration: About 3 hours.

I picked this one up at a library sale - they were clearing out all of their audiobooks on cassette. So, I picked up a bunch of them and dusted off the Sony Walkman (literally) and gave it a listen. Back in the day (1994) most audiobooks were edited to about 3 hours. This book was originally over 400 pages long so it was edited extensively as well,A thoroughly entertaining audiobook experience.

Published in 1994 by Simon & Schuster Audio DivisionRead by John de LancieDuration: About 3 hours.

I picked this one up at a library sale - they were clearing out all of their audiobooks on cassette. So, I picked up a bunch of them and dusted off the Sony Walkman (literally) and gave it a listen. Back in the day (1994) most audiobooks were edited to about 3 hours. This book was originally over 400 pages long so it was edited extensively as well, although the cover does not admit to it. That being said, the editing was very well done here. This could have been an extraordinarily confusing book considering that it bounces around in 3 different universes, but the editors have demonstrated a great deal of skill. All that being said, Q-Squared is not an audiobook for the Star Trek newbie.

In the original Star Trek, Captain Kirk and company encountered Trelane, a being of extraordinary power but very little maturity who called himself "the Squire of Gothos." Trelane captured the Enterprise, verbally sparred with Spock and Kirk and finally ended up in a sword fight with Kirk. He was just about to beat Kirk when Trelane's parents interceded and took their very naughty boy away and set the Enterprise free.

Peter David goes ahead and makes Trelane a member of the Q Continuum and has Q, the character from Star Trek: The Next Generation serve as Trelane's godfather. Trelane is basically working as an apprentice under Q as a favor to Q's friends, Trelane's parents. Trelane and Q come to Captain Picard's Enterprise to learn about humans and see how they operate.

But, Trelane gets a bellyfull of being told he's a nuisance and that he shouldn't use his awesome powers to make people he dislikes disappear. Trelane comes up with a plan...

Q (aka John de Lancie) has always been one of my favorite Star Trek characters. There's something about his smartalecky, sarcastic arrogance that appeals. Peter David, who's proven himself one of the best Star Trek novelists around, does a fine job replicating Q's personality on paper.

Now on to a little background: this novel has a fun tie-in to an Star Trek: the Original Series episode, which featured an all-powerful being who basically treated Kirk and company like playthings. In recent yearsQ (aka John de Lancie) has always been one of my favorite Star Trek characters. There's something about his smartalecky, sarcastic arrogance that appeals. Peter David, who's proven himself one of the best Star Trek novelists around, does a fine job replicating Q's personality on paper.

Now on to a little background: this novel has a fun tie-in to an Star Trek: the Original Series episode, which featured an all-powerful being who basically treated Kirk and company like playthings. In recent years, fandom has speculated that this being was of the Q race (it was never stated in the show itself). That speculation is the premise on which David has based this complex, engaging novel. Q, who is in charge of watching over the young being (going by the name Trelane), decides he needs an education. And where better to educate him, but on the Enterprise. To utter the infamous cliche, what could possibly go wrong?

Anything and everything, as one might surmise. Trelane sets about messing with space and time, leading to some very DIFFERENT versions of the Star Trek universe. Can Q and the Entireprise crew stop him before he destroys the universe? The climax is a complex, well-orchestrated affair with plenty of amusing moments thrown in with the action. David is an apt hand at tucking humor into a story without turning the whole thing into a comedy.

A fun read, and a very worthy addition to the Trekiverse. Although I would recommend it mostly for people already familiar with TNG, because there are some inferences that might otherwise be missed. ...more

The only reason I really started reading this book was because it had Q in it, and I love Q. However, I admittedly knew nothing about Trelane and I really wish I could've seen his Star Trek episode before I read this book, but nonetheless, I still loved it. I loved how Peter David assumed Trelane to be part of the Q continuum and how Q himself was supposed to take care of him and such. It led to some pretty entertaining situations that were fun for me to read. Again, I loved how well Peter DavidThe only reason I really started reading this book was because it had Q in it, and I love Q. However, I admittedly knew nothing about Trelane and I really wish I could've seen his Star Trek episode before I read this book, but nonetheless, I still loved it. I loved how Peter David assumed Trelane to be part of the Q continuum and how Q himself was supposed to take care of him and such. It led to some pretty entertaining situations that were fun for me to read. Again, I loved how well Peter David did at capturing the character's personalties on the page. I found myself laughing a lot at some of the things Q said, but that's not really a surprise I suppose.

I also really liked how he put in Jack Crusher. That's one character that I've always wanted to get to know better. I mean - Wesley is one of my favorite Star Trek TNG characters, so naturally I want to know more about his Dad. So, reading his and Picard's scenes was really fun for me, even if some of them were a bit sad and/or aggravating.

However, I'm probably going to have to read this book again someday just because the end was a little bit confusing. There was just so many universes that kept crossing over each other and it kept switching point of views so fast it was hard to keep track. I got the main gist of it, but I'm afraid I had to concentrate more then I normally do with a book. But that's okay. I'm sure reading it again some day will be fun! ...more

Q-Squared features the Next Generation crew, but the reason I picked it up (I’m really a TOS fan) was because of the character of Trelane, who, if you are familiar with the original series, is a character taken from the original era of the series and placed into the future Star Trek timeline involving Picard and crew. How is this possible? Well, Trelane isn’t human…no, he is actually a member of the Q continuum –For my full review, please visit my blog at http://decemberjoy.wordpress.com/2012...

Q-Squared features the Next Generation crew, but the reason I picked it up (I’m really a TOS fan) was because of the character of Trelane, who, if you are familiar with the original series, is a character taken from the original era of the series and placed into the future Star Trek timeline involving Picard and crew. How is this possible? Well, Trelane isn’t human…no, he is actually a member of the Q continuum – a powerful group of beings who have God-like abilities and are capable of manipulating time, matter, and space.

The store of Q-Squared revolves around Trelane. He discovers a source of power that enables him to become even more powerful than before…powerful enough to trap the Q continuum and possibly destroy all of creation. With the help of Picard, Q strives to correct all the misdeeds of Trelane and secure the universe’s future.

Q is a fun character, and so is Trelane. The two of them together made this book a very interesting and fun book to read. The inquisitive behavior of Trelane, he is actually an adolescent in this story, brings out another side of Q, who is normally the one to cause trouble with his mischievous nature. Seeing Q’s “adult” side is quite fun; he’s the exasperated parent trying to control the whimsy of youth. Unfortunately Trelane has some help in his endeavors, his future self.

Due to Trelane’s ability to manipulate time and space, the story involves different tracks: A, B, and C. Although you might think this would complicate the story, following the different tracks is not to difficult at all. Peter David did a fine job of keeping the story flowing between these tracks without confusing the reader as to which track he was referring to; nicely done mostly when involving multi-dimensions and time travel....more

Along with 'Vendetta', one of my favorite Star Trek Next Gen books, I still enjoy it each time I read it. One of the nice things about this book is that it still feels 'new' and fun each time I read it. I won't bother giving my 'pedigree' when it comes to what Star Wars books I've read and whatnot; I love great Star Trek books and have even enjoyed some 'bad' ones [I know, I know - are there anything but bad ones?]. I had a harder time getting into the Next Gen books - not sure why. Perhaps afteAlong with 'Vendetta', one of my favorite Star Trek Next Gen books, I still enjoy it each time I read it. One of the nice things about this book is that it still feels 'new' and fun each time I read it. I won't bother giving my 'pedigree' when it comes to what Star Wars books I've read and whatnot; I love great Star Trek books and have even enjoyed some 'bad' ones [I know, I know - are there anything but bad ones?]. I had a harder time getting into the Next Gen books - not sure why. Perhaps after reading the regular series for so long [starting with the books from the 70s like "Spock must die!" and "Vulcan!"] and then getting tired of essentially the same 'stock' stories rotating between different planets in the Pocketbooks of the 80s and 90s, I finally quit reading the series. I see they have new stories out [i.e. - newer, edgier cover style] so maybe I'll try picking up a current novel sometime and reading.

But enough about the book series. There will be plot spoilers, so read at your own risk! :)

This book is one of the better books because it involves plots and characters from the first television series and ties them into the Next Generation series [kind of like but not quite to the degree of the DS9 episode involving the DS9 crew inserted into the 'Trouble with Tribbles' episode]. This book ties in two episodes from the original series with Q and the Q-Continuum - it's almost funny how well Peter David makes it look like these two episodes were written with the thought of the Q-Continuum in mind AND his writing this book nearly 30 years later. The other thing I like about this book is the concept of multiple realities and other universes - it reminded me of conversations I used to have with friends in high school about what we called 'what if?' scenarios and how things might have changed. It would be difficult to do, but David does a great job writing about the three different realities and tying them together while making them each expressly and uniquely their own. He also has a wicked sense of humor in the book [such as when Q claims he helped God create the Earth and this was shown because God allowed Q to create the platypus].

The stories are broken up into three tracks - Track A has Jack Crusher as the Enterprise D's captain and Jean-Luc Picard as Number One. Track B is the Next Gen track. Track C has the Federation at war with the Klingons and losing. In two tracks Worf is still an orphan, but his life is radically different. Wesley Crusher is alive in two universes, as is Tasha Yar. You get the point. This opens up many possibilities in terms of how the characters could have developed had things gone differently, and Peter David does a wonderful job exploring how their lives might have been lived out differently.

Peter does a great job of getting the characters 'right' - even in the alternate universes the characters act according to 'character.' Riker was the best, in my opinion, followed by the Worf of Track A. Deanna was a hoot. And I actually enjoyed Guinan, for a change.

Anyway. As in any given day of our intrepid heroes [other than Track C], a unique situation occurs that requires the Enterprise to explore and study a unique phenomenon [as opposed to a civilization needing saving, a previously unmet-interstellar race or intergalactic invader, or some potential catastrophe which will destroy life as we know or or cause some sort of galaxy-wide destructive war]. Along the way Q and Trelayne are encountered. In Track B Q asks Picard for help. In the course of the story, Trelyane is humbled, humiliated, and vows revenge. Q is . . . . dispensed with and the crew[s] have to fumble along without him. Eventually [and obviously] justice is done, Treylane receives his comeuppance, and life returns to not-quite-normal.

The best scene of the book is when Treylane has it out for Picard and Picard . . . ignores him. It is beautifully written! Treylane goes into full blown 'omnipotent snit-fit' and Picard just . . . ignores him. For all intents and purposes, Picard gives up. One of the Best. Scenes. Ever.

I think a lot of people often wondered what would have happened if Picard and Crusher expressed their true feelings for each other. This was 'discussed briefly' in the final episode of the Next Gen series and DC Comics even looked into it a bit further. Peter David goes one better and 'explores' it even further. It was interesting; I guess it went about the way I would've expected, considering the premise behind how the relationship started.

One of the funniest scenes was when Worf slams Picard against the bulkhead and Picard threatens to demote him if Worf does not let him go; Worf actually considers refusing Picard's order! That was too funny!

The craziest part of the book is when all three realities are forcefully merged into one reality and Treylane forces a fight for survival. It was truly interesting to see how the different realities and individuals of each reality related to each other. Tasha Yar fights at Worf's side; Wesley encounters his father; Worf and Picard rip each other to shreds. Riker sees himself married to Deanna. Deanna meets her son. Crazy stuff.

This is one of the few books I would love to see turned into a movie [or television mini-series - with the same level of money spent on the television series]. It was a great book. Of course, the biggest chance you take is a great book turned into a mediocre movie/show. But Hollywood has done a decent job of turning books into movies lately [although they still can't produce a decent Dune movie], so maybe they might not muck this one up too badly.

I feel a bit awkward reviewing this one, since stories revolving around time travel or parallel universes are often among my least favorites. It can be hard getting invested in some of the character’s circumstances when they’re switching so often, though I did find the parts dealing with the version of Riker who has gone “feral” fascinating.

I will say that David has an interesting take on the role and psychology of Q. This book reinforces my belief that he is one of the closest equivalents in moI feel a bit awkward reviewing this one, since stories revolving around time travel or parallel universes are often among my least favorites. It can be hard getting invested in some of the character’s circumstances when they’re switching so often, though I did find the parts dealing with the version of Riker who has gone “feral” fascinating.

I will say that David has an interesting take on the role and psychology of Q. This book reinforces my belief that he is one of the closest equivalents in modern storytelling to the classic tricksters of mythology, such as Coyote. He rotates between selfish antagonism and harsh mentorship, menacing and helpful. It would be easy to ignore the emotional depth of such a creature in favor of the impact he has on the main characters, but the segments where David peeks into his mind were some of my favorites.

I was a bit uncertain of how I felt about Trelane. He brought a much more depressing tone to the story than I expected when I started it. The explanation of his corruption was hard to understand and made me feel icky inside for the poor rebellious fool. Definitely the surrealist part of the book....more

I'd purchased this before moving to Slovakia with the intention that, if I ever missed STNG, I could visit the characters in book form. I'd spent the summer-before-Slovakia watching the show on Netflix, sometimes with Mike and Rachel. I'd adored the show during my teens, but moved on to other pop-culture passions afterwards. Revisiting the series that summer was nostalgic and truly fun. I remembered that I liked the Picard and Data and the rest (except for Beverly Crusher) and enjoyed a lot of tI'd purchased this before moving to Slovakia with the intention that, if I ever missed STNG, I could visit the characters in book form. I'd spent the summer-before-Slovakia watching the show on Netflix, sometimes with Mike and Rachel. I'd adored the show during my teens, but moved on to other pop-culture passions afterwards. Revisiting the series that summer was nostalgic and truly fun. I remembered that I liked the Picard and Data and the rest (except for Beverly Crusher) and enjoyed a lot of the stories they played out. (Sometimes I even remembered lines from the show—dialogue that had sat dormant in my brain for twenty years.) But after coming to Europe and settling in, I never had the desire to "hang out" with Picard and Co.

In "Q-Squared" the crew of the Next Generation meets up with Trelane, a Mxyzptlk-like character from the Original Series. The novel—which, during the introduction, author Peter David readily admits is non-canon fan-wankery—reveals that Trelane is actually a young member of the Q Continuum, and a petulant one at that. Q himself is Trelane's godfather and has his hands full while he tries to temper the obnoxious being.

Furious, impatient, and childish, Trelane taps into the very heart of the multiverse and, filled with the powers of chaos, begins to mess about with different universes—namely, the one we all know from the show, the dark alternate universe from "Yesterday's Enterprise," and one in which Jack Crusher never died and captains the Enterprise. Worlds collide, confusion ensues, and Peter David hammers out good one-liners.

Truth be told, this wasn't horribly written. David does a great job of getting the characters' "voices" right. He clearly knows his Trek and dribbles in plenty of in-jokes and references to charm the reader. But he also wanders into Prequel Trilogy mode and makes some connections between things that erase some of the magic and wonder of the Star Trek universe. There's quite a bit of "Remember that episode? Trelane did that. And remember that? That was actually Q!" It starts to become quite fannish in places and feels more like David's playing than writing. That kind of stuff took me out of the book and disappointed me.

(Also, I was never a fan of the Crushers—either of them—and now I got to hang out with the dead-in-all-other-timelines Dad which wasn't too fun. I did, though, get to meet tortured-for-a-decade-by-Romulans Riker. Fair trade? No.)

Oddly enough, I read this book while taking a break from the sprawling Thomas Pynchon novel "Against the Day" and it seems like there's a lot of similarities between these books. I'd dare say that Pynchon does a better job of exploring the ideas than David, though. In "ATD," we find different fictions running into each other, overlapping, doubling, and echoing. Iceland spar, a crystal with unexplained powers, enables viewers to peer through the mineral and see the world duplicated or separated into its disparate elements. Characters we are introduced to in the beginning of the book become fictional people later read about in novels by other characters. Pynchon's alternate universes and duplicates don't deal in as much fan-service as David's (though Pynchon does insert a "Live long and prosper," joke in his book).

And maybe that's the biggest grief I have with "Q-Squared": it's just not imaginative enough. I hoped it would go further. More mind-blowing and less "Wouldn't it be cool if Data was a positronic brain in a flesh-and-blood body?" Peter David had three whole universes to play in, and he decided to use one that was already explored in a classic STNG episode and another that was, frankly, not very interesting. He does create some interesting moments where characters meet alternate universe themselves or loved ones. And the multiple-page scene where Trelane is enticed by chaos to combine all universes into one [spoiler] was actually imaginatively written, breaking the typical adverb-laden dialogue and people making rude comments about the pronunciation and spelling of Worf's name for delicious run-on paragraphs about variety, order, seduction, and power. That part was interesting and a delight to read. One would hope a story about multiple realities would do more with big ideas than "In this universe, Geordi has cloned eyes," but maybe I'm wishing for too much.

I will say there was some fun in hanging out with the crew of ol' NCC-1701-D. (Not to mention that David is a significantly faster read than Pynchon.) If anything, the book has piqued my interest in reading other property-based novels to off-set the heavier stuff I tend to prefer. (That "Kenobi" book is supposed to be more readable than most Star-something pap.) And although my brain is saying DON'T read the Peter David STNG book where a lady gets her hands on a Planet Killer (i.e. TOS "Doomsday Machine") and decides to go after the Borg, a small part of me says, "But, but... it's fun to hear Picard's voice in your head."...more

MikeI did some digging and, frankly, there are a couple of Star Wars books I would consider. The one that seems to suit me best is:

Scoundrels: Star Wars bI did some digging and, frankly, there are a couple of Star Wars books I would consider. The one that seems to suit me best is:

Scoundrels: Star Wars by Timothy Zahn

Not only do I have fond memories of reading the Zahn books when they were the only Star Wars novels on the market way back in the day but the premise of this novel sounds like fun.

Oh, and that Kenobi book looks great. Seriously, there really were about half a dozen Star Wars novels that made me think "That sounds pretty good." I think filling out the Star Trek side of this deal may be harder in the future.

Okay, so then I pledge to read this book sometime in the next six months. I'm just being honest. I've got a couple of other books in the cue at the moment and with the holidays coming up my reading pace will probably slacken. Although this does seem the the perfect book to read in the dead of winter.

BenjaminI think six months is fair. I'll be ready for something light and pure entertainment somewhere in that span of time. Your "Scoundrels" book sounds funI think six months is fair. I'll be ready for something light and pure entertainment somewhere in that span of time. Your "Scoundrels" book sounds fun—"Ocean's 11" in space. Can't go wrong with that... can you?...more
Oct 21, 2013 10:21PM

"Divided as they were by such things as climate, however, they did at least share one thing: A fascination with pain." It's quite refreshing to see that even over a decade and a half ago, Peter David was churning out masterpieces. His typical irreverence is present, though muted as befits a world not entirely his own, and the writing flows so smoothly that it's a page turner, and no mistake.

The Yesterday's Enterprise television episode was a firm fan favourite, couple that with the "what if Jack"Divided as they were by such things as climate, however, they did at least share one thing: A fascination with pain." It's quite refreshing to see that even over a decade and a half ago, Peter David was churning out masterpieces. His typical irreverence is present, though muted as befits a world not entirely his own, and the writing flows so smoothly that it's a page turner, and no mistake.

The Yesterday's Enterprise television episode was a firm fan favourite, couple that with the "what if Jack Crusher hadn't died?" scenario and the power of members of the Q continuum and you get a truly cracking novel.

The action sequences were brilliantly paced, my only regret is the book wasn't a little longer. Lingering on even more of the detail present in the different universes would have been worth reading.

Not an emotional puncher of a read, I think it did lack a little solemnity, a little gravitas. But fun, certainly, and I can see easily why it made best seller lists....more

This book is, hands down, my favorite of the Next Generation books. Lots of the other were excellent, and of course Peter David had several wonderful books, including "Imzadi" and "Vendetta". But I think this one was the best, and it was shortly after I read this that the Next Generation television show ended, and I slowly started to lose interest.

Even if you absolutely couldn't stand the "Q" character, if you liked anything about Next Generation, I think you'll love this novel. Before the storyThis book is, hands down, my favorite of the Next Generation books. Lots of the other were excellent, and of course Peter David had several wonderful books, including "Imzadi" and "Vendetta". But I think this one was the best, and it was shortly after I read this that the Next Generation television show ended, and I slowly started to lose interest.

Even if you absolutely couldn't stand the "Q" character, if you liked anything about Next Generation, I think you'll love this novel. Before the story's over, you've got multiple characters from at least three different timelines running amok aboard the Enterprise. I really need to re-read this one day, since the last few chapters went by in a blurr of, "Okay, and then what happ...whoa, really? And THEN what happened?" And of course, Peter David's characterizations are about as close to the actual TV show as you can get....more

Peter David's a fantastic writer. I love his comics. And he writes an awesome ST:TNG novel. It definitely reads like an episode of the series. And a damned good episode. He does a great job with the characters, making them all sound the way they should. And the plot is really interesting. This is a great book for any fan of ST:TNG.

This is my all time favorite Star Trek book. It's also rather confusing.

You have Track A which is an alternate universe where Jack Crusher is captain of the Enterprise, Picard is the first officer, Beverly divorced Jack and is now Beverly Howard, Worf never joined Starfleet, Will Riker married Deanna and is imprisoned and Data is a human.

Track B is the normal everyday crew.

Track C is the "Yesterday's Enterprise" crew where the Federation is at war with the Klingons and Tasha Yar is alive.

Throw iThis is my all time favorite Star Trek book. It's also rather confusing.

You have Track A which is an alternate universe where Jack Crusher is captain of the Enterprise, Picard is the first officer, Beverly divorced Jack and is now Beverly Howard, Worf never joined Starfleet, Will Riker married Deanna and is imprisoned and Data is a human.

Track B is the normal everyday crew.

Track C is the "Yesterday's Enterprise" crew where the Federation is at war with the Klingons and Tasha Yar is alive.

Throw into the mix Q and Trelane. Trelane has invented a machine and he uses that machine to blend the three tracks of the universe together which is where things get confusing and chaotic....more

This book predates Q's appearances on Voyager, with the latter canon seeming to invalidate this book. But it was still a fun read that wasn't so much about Q or about Trelane as much as this: "For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been'.” Readers will have to do some mental gymnastics to keep track of three alternate timelines that weave in and out of each other. Which Jean-Luc Picard are we following now? The author does a good job of giving us clues when weThis book predates Q's appearances on Voyager, with the latter canon seeming to invalidate this book. But it was still a fun read that wasn't so much about Q or about Trelane as much as this: "For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been'.” Readers will have to do some mental gymnastics to keep track of three alternate timelines that weave in and out of each other. Which Jean-Luc Picard are we following now? The author does a good job of giving us clues when we need them, or leaving mysteries when appropriate. An enjoyable addition to the Star Trek library, though not a "Q" book in the strictest sense....more

I've never really been a Star Trek fan (I know, that's outright blasphemy coming from a self-proclaimed geek like myself), but since I am a Peter David fan, I gave this book a try, and wound up enjoying it far more than I thought I would! Peter David weaves a complex tale involving alternate realities colliding, yet manages to make it easily accessible for Star Trek newbies like myself!

Also, Peter David's wonderful sense of humor is in top form here, Q especially had some laugh-out-loud moments.I've never really been a Star Trek fan (I know, that's outright blasphemy coming from a self-proclaimed geek like myself), but since I am a Peter David fan, I gave this book a try, and wound up enjoying it far more than I thought I would! Peter David weaves a complex tale involving alternate realities colliding, yet manages to make it easily accessible for Star Trek newbies like myself!

Also, Peter David's wonderful sense of humor is in top form here, Q especially had some laugh-out-loud moments. Add to that the wonderfully demented Trelane as the villian, and that makes this a fun ride for Star Trek fans and non-fans alike!...more

I read a handful of Star Trek novels when my love for the franchise hit its peak back in high school. This is the only one I actually look back on fondly now. The plot, though a bit derivative of previous Q stories, is engaging from start to finish. It's one of the more memorable uses of the parallel universes trope I've seen from the franchise. David shows his usual knack for characterization, even humanizing Q through his relationship with Trelane, a villain David borrowed from the original StI read a handful of Star Trek novels when my love for the franchise hit its peak back in high school. This is the only one I actually look back on fondly now. The plot, though a bit derivative of previous Q stories, is engaging from start to finish. It's one of the more memorable uses of the parallel universes trope I've seen from the franchise. David shows his usual knack for characterization, even humanizing Q through his relationship with Trelane, a villain David borrowed from the original Star Trek. This book would have made for a far better Next Generation movie than either Insurrection or Nemesis did. ...more

I jump around a lot with Star Trek universes and hardly every read any TNG books. I did really like the Cold Equations trilogy that just came out. Good to see Data back. I enjoyed this one, too. I recently watched all of the Original series and remembered Trelane fondly as a thorn in Kirks side. I'm not going to go too far into reviewing this book because that would lead to madness. I was worn out by the end with all the parallel universes, but satisfied with the ending. Spoiler alert- Having GaI jump around a lot with Star Trek universes and hardly every read any TNG books. I did really like the Cold Equations trilogy that just came out. Good to see Data back. I enjoyed this one, too. I recently watched all of the Original series and remembered Trelane fondly as a thorn in Kirks side. I'm not going to go too far into reviewing this book because that would lead to madness. I was worn out by the end with all the parallel universes, but satisfied with the ending. Spoiler alert- Having Gary Mitchell's condition explained by infestation of Q was quite enjoyable. ...more

Peter Allen David (often abbreviated PAD) is an American writer, best known for his work in comic books and Star Trek novels. David often jokingly describes his occupation as "Writer of Stuff". David is noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real world issues with humor and references to popular culture. He also uses metafiction frequently, usually to humoaka David Peters

Peter Allen David (often abbreviated PAD) is an American writer, best known for his work in comic books and Star Trek novels. David often jokingly describes his occupation as "Writer of Stuff". David is noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real world issues with humor and references to popular culture. He also uses metafiction frequently, usually to humorous effect, as in his work on the comic book Young Justice. ...more